Day two began how all days should begin: with fried chicken. River Market in New West is a destination all on it’s own. Fresh bread, craft coffee, homemade soap, produce, and restaurants. It’s a lovely place to get lost in. I impatiently waited outside the doors of Freebird Chicken Shack to get my hands on some of the fried chicken I’d been hearing so much about, and it didn’t disappoint.
My suggestions: Turmeric Fried Chicken, and Hot & Sour Fried Chicken Skin
Of course, after that I need a beer. I traveled a few miles to Central City Brewery, one of the most well distributed craft breweries in Canada. With award winning beer and spirits, it’s not hard to see why.
My suggestions: Sour No. 2 Sour Kriek
The afternoon was spent in one of the more unexpected locations: Crescent Beach, a charming little beach town that felt equal parts far away destination and small town quaint. I lingered over oysters, fish & chips, and beer at Hooked Fish Bar, then spent a few hours paddling around the inlet on a stand up paddleboard. An afternoon that went by too quickly and left a beautiful sun soaked memory.
The trip ended in the perfect way, a pot of garlic beer mussels and one of my favorite beers from Four Winds Brewing at Hawthorne Beer Market, a place I could have stayed for hours. The beer list was extensive, the food was fantastic, and the service was outstanding. It’s already bookmarked for my next trip up there. And there will definitely be a next trip.
Coming home I had to recreate the recipe, full of garlic, heat and beer, it was impossible to stop thinking about.
Garlic Sriracha Beer Steamed Mussels
InGREDIENTS:
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 5 cloves garlic, smashed
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon sriracha
- 1 cup pale ale
- ½ cup chicken broth
- 1 lbs live mussels, cleaned, beards removed
- ¼ cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
- Bread for serving
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 425F.
- Add the flour, salt, baking powder, cheddar and rosemary to a food processor, pulse to combine.
- While the food processor is running, add the butter cubes one at a time until well combined with the flour. Add the sour cream and beer, pulse until just combined.
- Add the dough to a floured surface (it will be soft), gently pat into a circle about 1 inch high. Cut into 8 wedges.
- Add the wedges to a baking sheet, top with remaining cheddar and rosemary.
- Bake for 12 minutes or until the edges are just starting to turn golden brown. Serve warm.
This is a sponsored post written by Jackie Dodd on behalf of BC Ale Trail and Tourism New West, Discover Surrey and Tourism Delta. All opinions and text are Jackie’s.
